Wicking pad using hot coil for refrigerator

ABSTRACT

A water-removing system comprises a water reservoir pan, a wicking pad array, and a hot pipe. The water reservoir pan is configured for collecting water from an evaporator of the refrigerator. The wicking pad array comprises wicking pads, and each of wicking pads is disposed in a direction of air flow from the fan motor to the wicking pads, so that lower portions of the wicking pads are immersed in the water reservoir pan. The hot pipe is disposed so as to contact with the wicking pads of the wicking pad array above a surface of water collected from the evaporator. The water from the evaporator is absorbed by the wicking pads and evaporated further by heat from the hot pipe.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a wicking pad using hot coil for refrigerator.

Frost from an evaporator of the refrigerator is melted to water, and the water needs to be removed.

In prior arts, such water was collected in a pan and the user of the refrigerator emptied the pan regularly.

In a more advanced refrigerator, the water was evaporated with heat provided for the purpose.

In another more advanced refrigerator, the water was evaporated through wicking pads.

However, solutions provided by the prior arts were not enough to satisfy the users in efficiency or convenience of the water-removing system. For example, solving one problem has caused other serious problems.

Also, it is preferable to solve the problems of the prior arts with relatively simpler structures and methods, so that it can be applied easily and conveniently.

Accordingly, a need for a water-removing system for refrigerator has been present for a long time considering the expansive demands in the everyday life. This invention is directed to solve these problems and satisfy the long-felt need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention contrives to solve the disadvantages of the prior art.

An object of the invention is to provide a water-removing system for a refrigerator.

A water-removing system, for a refrigerator having an compressor and fan motor, comprises a water reservoir, a wicking pad array, and a hot pipe.

The water reservoir pan is configured for collecting water from an evaporator.

The wicking pad array comprises a plurality of wicking pads, and each of wicking pads is disposed in a direction of air flow from the fan motor to the plurality of wicking pads, so that lower portions of the plurality of wicking pads are immersed in the water reservoir pan.

The hot pipe is disposed so as to contact with the plurality of wicking pads of the wicking pad array above a surface of water collected from the evaporator.

The water from the evaporator is absorbed by the plurality of wicking pads and evaporated further by heat from the hot pipe.

The hot pipe may be disposed through holes provided at top portions of the plurality of wicking pads of the wicking pad array above a surface of water collected from the evaporator.

The hot pipe may be disposed above the water reservoir pan.

The hot pipe may be bent a plurality of times so as to form a pipe-meandering plane that is substantially parallel to the top the water reservoir pan.

Each of the plurality of wicking pads may protrude vertically above the pipe-meandering plane.

Each of the holes is provided through the plurality of wicking pads is provided by burring, maximizing a rate of thermal transferring between each of plurality of wicking pads and the hot pipe.

The plurality of wicking pads may be provided with a density of about five (5) sheets per inch.

The hot pipe may be bent a plurality of times so as to form a pipe-meandering plane that is substantially parallel to the top the water reservoir pan, and each of the plurality of wicking pads of the wicking pad array may be draped over corresponding one of a plurality of parallel portions of the hot pipe.

Each of the wicking pads may be formed so as to have a cross-section of a U-shape.

The water-removing system may further comprise a plurality of fasteners between each of the plurality of wicking pads and the corresponding parallel portions of the hot pipe.

Each of the plurality of fasteners may be provided on a top portion of the corresponding parallel portions of the hot pipe.

Each of the plurality of fasteners may comprise glue.

The advantages of the present invention are: (1) the water-removing system according to the invention prevents the hot pipe from being eroded by water collected from the evaporator; and (2) the water-removing system is very efficient in evaporating water collected from the evaporator, compared to the prior arts, thanks to two different mechanisms working side by side.

Although the present invention is briefly summarized, the fuller understanding of the invention can be obtained by the following drawings, detailed description and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a water-removing system according to a prior art;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a water-removing system with a wicking pad according to a prior art;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a water-removing system according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a water-removing system according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a side view showing the water-removing system of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a top view of a water-removing system according to another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a side view showing the water-removing system of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/169,263 filed on May 31, 2016 by the applicant of this application is incorporated by reference into this disclosure as if fully set forth herein.

Referring to the figures, the embodiments of the invention are described in detail.

An object of the invention is to provide a water-removing system for a refrigerator, in which water can be evaporated effectively.

Another object of the invention is to provide a water-removing system for a refrigerator, in which water can be absorbed much more and evaporated by evaporating more quickly water absorbed from the wicking pad through the hot pipe disposed above the water level.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show one of the prior arts, teaching wicking pad array for absorbing and evaporating.

The water-removing system for a refrigerator has an compressor 910 and fan motor 920 as shown in FIG. 1.

The water-removing system of the prior art comprises a water reservoir pan 10, a first line of wicking pad array 20. The water reservoir pan 10 is configured for collecting water from a evaporator as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIGS. 3 to 7 show water-removing systems according to embodiments of the invention.

An aspect of the invention is to provide a water-removing system 200, for a refrigerator (as shown in FIG. 2) having an compressor 910 and fan motor 920, comprises a water reservoir pan 210, a wicking pad array 220, and a hot pipe 230 as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6.

The water reservoir pan 210 is configured for collecting water from an evaporator of the refrigerator.

The wicking pad array 220 comprises a plurality of wicking pads as shown in FIG. 3, and each of the plurality of wicking pads is disposed in a direction of air flow from the fan motor 920 to the plurality of wicking pads, so that lower portions of the plurality of wicking pads are immersed in the water reservoir pan 210 as shown in FIGS. 3, 5, and 7. Since the lower portions of the plurality of wicking pads are draped down to the bottom of the water reservoir pan 210, water from the evaporator filling the water reservoir pan 210 makes contact with and soaks the lower portions of the plurality of wicking pads.

The hot pipe 230 is disposed so as to contact with the plurality of wicking pads of the wicking pad array 220 above a surface of water collected from the evaporator. The hot pipe 230 is connected from the condenser to the evaporator of the refrigerator, carrying hot refrigerant of high-pressure as shown in FIG. 2. The heat dissipated from the hot pipe 230 is used in evaporating the water in the wicking pad array 220.

The water from the evaporator is absorbed by the plurality of wicking pads and evaporated further by heat from the hot pipe 230.

The hot pipe 230 may be disposed through holes 222 provided at top portions of the plurality of wicking pads of the wicking pad array 220 above a surface of water collected from the evaporator as shown in FIG. 3.

The hot pipe 230 may be disposed above the water reservoir pan 210. Even though the water level is not shown specifically, the relatively high disposition of the hot pipe 230 must be seen clearly at least in FIGS. 5 and 7. The hot pipe 230 is disposed higher than the upper edge of the water reservoir pan 210.

The hot pipe 230 may be bent a plurality of times so as to form a pipe-meandering plane that is substantially parallel to the top the water reservoir pan 230 as shown in FIGS. 4 to 7.

In another aspect of the invention as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, each of the plurality of wicking pads may protrude vertically above the pipe-meandering plane defined by the side view of the hot pipe 230.

Each of the holes 222 is provided through the plurality of wicking pads is provided by burring, maximizing a rate of thermal transferring between each of plurality of wicking pads 220 and the hot pipe 230.

The plurality of wicking pads 220 may be provided with a density of about five (5) sheets per inch in a style shown in FIGS. 3-5.

In another embodiment of the invention, the hot pipe 230 may be bent a plurality of times so as to form a pipe-meandering plane that is substantially parallel to the top the water reservoir pan 210, and each of the plurality of wicking pads of the wicking pad array 220 may be draped over corresponding one of a plurality of parallel portions of the hot pipe 230 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

Each of the wicking pads 220 may be formed so as to have a cross-section of a U-shape as shown in FIG. 7.

The water-removing system 200 may further comprise a plurality of fasteners 240 between each of the plurality of wicking pads and the corresponding parallel portions of the hot pipe 230.

Each of the plurality of fasteners 240 may be provided on a top portion of the corresponding parallel portions of the hot pipe 230 as shown in FIG. 7.

Each of the plurality of fasteners 240 may comprise glue. However, it is not limiting. As far as it can fasten the wicking pads 220 with the hot pipe 230, any type of fasteners will work for the purpose.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to different embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations in form, detail, compositions and operation may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A water-removing system for a refrigerator having an compressor and fan motor, the water-removing device comprising: a water reservoir pan configured for collecting water from an evaporator; a wicking pad array comprising a plurality of wicking pads, each of which being disposed in a direction of air flow from the fan motor to the plurality of wicking pads, so that lower portions of the plurality of wicking pads are immersed in the water reservoir pan; and a hot pipe disposed so as to contact with the plurality of wicking pads of the wicking pad array above a surface of water collected from the evaporator, wherein the water from the evaporator is absorbed by the plurality of wicking pads and evaporated further by heat from the hot pipe.
 2. The water-removing system of claim 1, wherein the hot pipe is disposed through holes provided at top portions of the plurality of wicking pads of the wicking pad array above a surface of water collected from the evaporator.
 3. The water-removing system of claim 2, wherein the hot pipe is disposed above the water reservoir pan.
 4. The water-removing system of claim 3, wherein the hot pipe is bent a plurality of times so as to form a pipe-meandering plane that is substantially parallel to the top the water reservoir pan.
 5. The water-removing system of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of wicking pads protrudes vertically above the pipe-meandering plane.
 6. The water-removing system of claim 4, wherein each of the holes provided through the plurality of wicking pads is provided by burring, maximizing a rate of thermal transferring between each of plurality of wicking pads and the hot pipe.
 7. The water-removing system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of wicking pads are provided with a density of about five (5) sheets per inch.
 8. The water-removing system of claim 1, wherein the hot pipe is bent a plurality of times so as to form a pipe-meandering plane that is substantially parallel to the top the water reservoir pan, and wherein each of the plurality of wicking pads of the wicking pad array is draped over corresponding one of a plurality of parallel portions of the hot pipe.
 9. The water-removing system of claim 8, wherein each of the wicking pads is formed so as to have a cross-section of a U-shape.
 10. The water-removing system of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of fasteners between each of the plurality of wicking pads and the corresponding parallel portions of the hot pipe.
 11. The water-removing system of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of fasteners is provided on a top portion of the corresponding parallel portions of the hot pipe.
 12. The water-removing system of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of fasteners comprises glue. 